


Want To Race?

by Lexis_Cheshire



Category: Hermitcraft RPF
Genre: :D, and kinda bad ;-;, hc dungeons and dragons au, this is old
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2020-05-26
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:35:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24381397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lexis_Cheshire/pseuds/Lexis_Cheshire
Summary: my first work of fanfiction, reposted from my tumblr. hope you enjoy!A look at doc’s backstory in the DnD au(non-canon)“Oh, you’re on! Get back here!” Doc shouted out of the blue. The group watched dumbfounded as he took off through the trees, but Doc wasn’t paying attention. Nearly a week in the Lantetir Forest, as beautiful as it was, was frustrating for anyone. and Bdubs had just challenged him to a race. He’d thought, why not?There’s no harm in a race, right?
Comments: 2
Kudos: 27





	Want To Race?

“Oh, you’re on! Get back here!” Doc shouted out of the blue. The group watched dumbfounded as he took off through the trees, but Doc wasn’t paying attention. Nearly a week in the Lantetir Forest, as beautiful as it was, was frustrating for anyone. and Bdubs had just challenged him to a race. He’d thought, _why not?_

_There’s no harm in a race, right?_

-

The rest of the group - the Hermits, they called themselves - watched him disappear into the undergrowth. TFC turned away in annoyance, sitting down on the knotted roots that covered the forest floor. Magic burst from him, replacing the nearby tree’s starry leaves with fan shaped fronds.

False sighed, sheathing her sword and taking a seat on the stones. She ran a hand through her wild hair. “This is ridiculous. We’ve been in this forest for way too long. We were supposed to be in Greenpoint yesterday! What the heck, Doc?”

Jevin shrugged. “Don’t know what he’s thinking, running off like that, but we can’t just leave him. He may be…strange, but he’s powerful for sure, and we definitely need that on this quest.” He pushed off the trunk he was leaning on, brushing off the clinging debris. “I guess I’ll go after him. It’s getting late, anyway - we can set up camp for the night.”

False stood up too. “I’ll come with you. You never know what can happen. X?” The group had been ambushed several times by skeleton soldiers - most likely sent from the necromancer they were seeking. They were infamously reclusive and, as they had found out the hard way, extremely paranoid as well.

False and Jevin set off, barely waiting for an answer. Xisuma, preoccupied with Wels, only spared a second to respond. “Y _ou absolute_ -Sure, just get back before sunset - _Wels for heavens sake_ \- and don’t die! _Give back my shield…_ ” his voice faded as the duo followed the trampled plants towards Doc.

-

Doc ducked under a branch, shouting at Beef. “How is this fair? You can go through the trees!”

“Sucks to suck!” Beef flew out in front, sticking his tongue out and laughing. Etho grinned, he and a wheezing Bdubs trailing after.

“ _Ahaha_ , you - _hihihi_ \- your fault for accepting - _bwahaahaa_ \- without thinking of that!“ Bdubs giggled out.

Doc twisted back, facing Bdubs. “Hey, what about that time you went and screwed yourself ov- _wha_ ”

“ _Doc wait stop-_ ”

His footing crumbled, solid dirt vanishing into thin air. He looked forward, feet twisting and tripping - _too late_. He plummeted down the cliff, reaching for invisible handholds, _something to save him-_

“ _DOC_!” The scream ripped through the forest, reverberating in their ears. Beef covered his mouth, breath coming sharp and fast and _oh god Doc was going to die._

-

False and Jevin heard Doc, laughing and talking to…?Himself? Odd. They ran towards the sound. Jevin pushed through a bush and lurched forward - _what in the_ \- False grabbed his hood and yanked him back, nearly colliding with each other.

They gasped at the mossy cliff face, almost invisible against the greenery. Just one more step and Jevin would have been plummeting down to his death on the jagged stone. Jevin caught his breath.

False looked around. They had split from Doc’s trail, going around the side to hopefully catch him as he went past. Trees, trees, rocks, Doc crashing through the undergrowth carelessly, yelling at…? Who? with his back turned. Their eyes widened and they grabbed Jevin’s arm, panic seeping into their voice as they screamed out, “ _DOC_!”

-

In a second, Beef shot after him, clasping his artificial hand. He was practically hyperventilating, not-air spilling from his mouth in gasps…he focused, hands jittery and weak, tears blurring his vision, trying to give him something to help, something, _anything, **anything at all…**_

Bdubs hovered over the edge, choking on nothing as guilt instantly flooded his mind. _What have I done! what have I done, I’m such a fool! This, this is…this is all **my fault…**_

Etho dove through the air, trying - _its futile_ \- to drag him up again his - _hands pass through, intangible_ \- to save him, _save him, why can’t I **save him?**_

“Dubs? Beef….” Doc stared at him blankly. His hand twitched - he stared uncomprehendingly as the sky swirled above him….

He felt the wind swirl, howling, his stomach jump into his throat, the ground rush up to meet him-

He closed his eyes-

-

False tied a rope to the nearest tree, fumbling to secure the knot. “Quick, Jevin, we have to see Doc-oh, what if he’s dead, what if he’s dead and we couldn’t save him, Jevin what-“

A bone-chilling _**crack**_ rang through the air. Jevin paled.

“Don’t worry about it False, I’m sure he’ll be…fine…I bet he caught a vine, maybe broke a few branches or something. He’s totally fine, this is Doc we’re speaking of after all!!!” Jevin rambled out. _False’s panic stuck in his own mind, a mantra of fear and loss._ He stumbled over his words, disbelieving.

False didn’t notice, playing the reassuring words over in her mind. The cracking sound crashed through their skull, and she doubled her speed, fear rising in her bones. She kept her back to the open air as she shimmied down the rope, hoping beyond belief - _please please please to whoever is listening please save him_ \- that Doc was alive.

-

Doc felt his veins fill with warmth, his stomach settle back into place. He landed on mossy green slate with an ear splitting **_crack_**.

…

_…What?_

Breathless laughter rang through the air as Doc collapsed to his knees, finally catching up to reality. He stared at Beef, who was practically doubled over, cackling as tears poured down his face.

“…What just happened?” Doc voiced. Etho held his arm, seemingly not registering his words- instead, he inspected Doc, trying to see any damage _at all_ on him. Bdubs stared, open mouthed, drifting down in shock as he processed that _Doc isn’t dead, he isn’t dead, **he’s not gone,** calm down._

Beef laughed, and laughed, and laughed, and laughed, giddy relief and sharp fear-filled adrenaline bleeding out in tears and hysterical giggling. He flew down and leaned into Doc, seemingly have experienced a break from reality.

The four of them held onto each other as best as they could, shared fear ebbing away, as they made sure Doc was really, truly still alive.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, _I’m sorry I never should have suggested this **oh god you’re alive,** I’m sorry_” Bdubs whispered shakily, sinking halfway through the ground.

Beef’s laughter echoed around them. Etho piaf it no attention for once, scanning Doc once again. He soothing the stabbing fear lodged in his chest. “Doc, do you feel hurt at all? That fall…that fall was pretty bad.”

“Nothing, actually. Just scared me a lot.” Adrenaline coursed through him, jittering down his fingers. He dug his hands into the moss, grounding himself in the soft, living plant. _I’m alive_. “I’m… not hurt at all…that’s weird.”

“Doc I’m sorry. It was stupid of me to think of a race in the middle of the Lantetier Forest…” Bdubs had calmed a little, fear dissipating, but guilt surged to take its place. “Are you sure you’re ok? Are you sure?”

“Yea. It’s fine Dubs, you didn’t know there was going to be a cliff. And even if you didn’t think of the danger, I didn’t either, so if it is your fault it’s mine as well.”

“Hey, yeah, it’s not your fault.” Etho pulled him out of the stone, calming down as well. “Doc isn’t hurt, and that’s the main thing.”

“Wait. How is he not hurt anyway? We didn’t do anything…”

“We didn’t do anything. But Beef probably did.”

Beef floated blankly behind Doc, manic laughter abruptly cutting out. “…Me?” Beef echoed. His face cleared as he twisted to face them.

Bdubs nodded. “Yeah. I just went through Doc - I didn’t actually make contact - and Bdubs wasn’t near him. You were the one holding onto his arm…”

“Maybe you cast a spell on Doc or something, like your no fall damage one. You could do that one one your sleep, literally.” Bdubs grinned, poking Beef. “Who falls asleep halfway down the stairs?”

Beef blinked.

“…that makes sort of some sense. That’s the first spell you would think of, right? Especially when you’re actually falling.” Etho snorted.

“So the first spell I, VintageBeef can bestow on our friend Doctor Monster 77 is my _no fall damage enchantment_?!”

“Sounds about right.” The three of them smirked at Beef, who spluttered indignantly.

“Hey don’t all gang up on me!”

A muted thump caught there attention as False slid down the last length of rope. She turned around and stopped in her tracks, staring.

Doc stared back. “Uhh… hello, False! what are you doing down here?”

“…Doc? You’re alive! JEVIN GET DOWN HERE HE’S ALIVE! How are you alive??” False shouted. Doc grimaced at the questions, looking up and seeing Jevin, face full of relief.

-

Jevin was having a small - _not small_ \- aneurysm. On one hand, he was glad - _oh, thank the capricious gods_ \- that Doc was alive. On the other hand…Doc had been talking to himself and probably hallucinating in the middle of the forest floor after falling probably 50 blocks down a cliff. Eaglepham’s sake, he could still be critically injured and not even realize it!

“Oh… Hey, Jevin. Hi, False.”

“Hi to you too!? Are you _kidding_ me?! You nearly gave me and Jevin heart attacks! What in the world?”

“I…don’t know either. I guess Eaglepham blessed me or something. But I’m still alive, all good, so…no big deal!”

False gave him a look that said, _Are you insane?_ “No big deal, Doc, is when you trip over a tree, not fall down a massive cliff! What were you doing anyway? You just ran away, like you were possessed. What was so urgent that you risked your life for it?”

“Uh, nothing! How about we just get back to the hermits!” Doc brushed himself off, walking towards the rope. “Really, you two, i’m fine. Let’s get back to the camp.”

Jevin called down. “We need to get you to the camp! You could still be injured!” He motioned to the pair.

“Yes yes, i’m coming…”Doc quickly started scaling the rope.

“…Right…” False narrowed her eyes at Doc’s retreating form. Something was really off about him. What had happened? How was he unscathed? And who was he talking to? He was definitely keeping secrets, but what?

_He shouldn’t have survived that. What is he hiding?_


End file.
